Holly Arrowsmith

Experience

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  OH Productions

  Sept 2009 - Mar 2010

  Events Assistant (Internship)

  Provided support to the team by booking venues, monitoring ticket sales, promotion and writing press releases, and by acting as artist liaison on event days, providing refreshments and general assistance to talent. I helped to organise small and large scale events, at venues including Manchester Cathedral, London's Union Chapel and the Royal Northern College of Music.

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  In The City

  Sept 2009 - Oct 2009

  Events Intern

  I produced copy for the In The City music conference Live Guide in 2009.

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  In House Press

  Jan 2010 - May 2011

  Intern/Press Assistant

  In House Press is a music PR agency based in Manchester, handling press coverage for both high-profile and emerging talent.I was originally taken on at In House Press as an intern for one day a week. After six weeks, I was offered a part-time paid position to fit around my university work, due to my general conduct and potential. Working with a small team, I managed press coverage for most of the company’s singles roster, as well as several events and albums, and also provided administrative support where needed.ACHIEVEMENTS• Gained coverage for clients in national and local print press and online, in publications including The Guardian, The Independent, The Times, Manchester Evening News, Q, NME and ELLE• Set up a Twitter account for the company, and managed this on a daily basis, taking the follower count to over 1,000 within a year• Managed the website’s content using a bespoke content management system• Produced various copy, including biographies, press releases, web content and advertorial text• Acted as on-site liaison between press, photographers, artists and management at Manchester’s In The City conference in 2010, securing coverage in a number of outlets, including the second most-read story on the BBC News website• Worked alongside external agencies, including online and broadcast publicists, to coordinate coverage Show less

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  The Fly

  Apr 2011 - Jul 2012

  Writer (Voluntary)

  The Fly Magazine is one of the biggest music magazines in the UK, with a monthly circulation of c.140,000 readers.Commissioned by the magazine’s Regional Editor, I wrote a bi-monthly column about music events in and around Manchester for the magazine. I also provided live, album and single reviews on an ad-hoc basis.

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  Livity

  Dec 2011 - Mar 2012

  Press and Social Media Assistant (Internship)

  Livity is a youth engagement and communications agency, working with clients including the NHS, Penguin, Nando’s and the Roundhouse to reach a young audience.Reporting to the Business Development Manager, I was responsible for developing a press database for Live, a magazine with a circulation of c.100,000 readers a quarter. I built relationships with key members of the PR industry on the writing team’s behalf, publicised key events in the magazine’s calendar and assisted with social media campaigns.ACHIEVEMENTS• Managed social media for Nandos’ Hot Heroes campaign using Twitter, Facebook and the Live website, measuring outreach using Facebook Insights, Google Analytics, Wufoo and Klout. My management of the campaign in 2012 saw a 50% increase in entries compared to 2011• Secured press coverage for Live’s one-off issue of the Guardian Film and Music supplement.• Attended magazine production meetings and contributed feature ideas• Took part in focus groups in the planning stages of BBC Three’s Free Speech series Show less

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  Genesis Housing Group

  Apr 2012 - May 2013

  Communications Assistant

  Genesis is one of the largest not-for-profit housing associations in the south east, and is going through a major transformation programme with a view to becoming one of the country’s leading property based service providers. I reported to the External Communications Manager, and was responsible for securing press coverage, writing copy including press releases, web news stories and internal communications, and events support.ACHIEVEMENTS• Sourced stories across the business, gaining coverage in trade, national and local titles including The Times, The Guardian, 24housing and Inside Housing. Also oversaw filming from news organisations, including MSNBC and Al Jazeera• Produced various copy to tight deadlines, including press releases, internal and external magazine features, web news stories, flyers and case studies• Raised Genesis’ Twitter profile by updating social media on a regular basis, bringing the company’s follower count to over 1500 and generating web hits through targeted tweeting• Assisted in appointing an external PR agency, MHP Communications, to provide support on larger projects• Responsible for website maintenance using a bespoke content management system• Successfully organised the 2013 staff conference, which involved travel coordination for 1100 members of staff, project managing a ‘marketplace’ area, producing various promotional materials, stage management and speech writing. Also helped to arrange events including resident awards, employment workshops, development showcase parties and various staff events• Took part in communications for various resident involvement activities, including a Four Steps to Starting a Business project, employability and IT skills workshops and after school homework clubs• Experience of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint, as well as Mac and PC interfaces• Assisted with database management, budget drafts, appointing media monitoring systems and producing monthly media reports Show less

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  London South Bank University

  May 2013 - Dec 2013

  Press and Communications Officer

  London South Bank University is one of the leading vocational universities in London. It currently has over 25,000 students across its two campuses in Southwark and Havering. I reported to the Head of PR and Communications, and was responsible for securing press coverage, writing copy including press releases, internal newsletters and web stories, and media coverage monitoring.ACHIEVEMENTS• Secured several pieces of national coverage for the University’s Clearing campaign, in various print titles and online on the Huffington Post• Coordinated and oversaw filming for a number of high profile television programmes, including Newsnight, the Great British Bake Off and numerous independent productions• Sold stories into local, national trade and online press• Wrote various copy, including press releases, internal e-newsletters, web news stories, and case studies• Maintained the news section of the website through a bespoke content management system• Produced content for the University’s branding and pride project- a series of case study galleries that documented student and staff success stories• Provided assistance at key events, including the Freshers’ Fayre and Clearing call centre, on an as-needed basis• Compiled information for quarterly media and communications reports Show less

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  Pre-school Learning Alliance

  Feb 2014 - Mar 2014

  Interim Press Assistant

  I assisted with the Pre-school Learning Alliance's press activity during a brief period of team changes. Duties included sending press releases, acting as press liaison, drafting copy for web, magazine articles and internal communications, and updating the website.

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  Victim Support

  Mar 2014 - Jul 2016

  • Lead on all internal communications activity, including content, management of internal channels and identifying engagement needs and issues• Project management of the creation and delivery of Support Network, a quarterly volunteer publication, including managing a small editorial and design team, producing content and coordinating sign-off • Manage relationships with all members of the senior leadership team, providing guidance on communications as needed• Evaluation of all internal channels, including benchmarking against other organisations, identifying key opportunities for innovation and introducing engagement tools such as Yammer in order to widen reach• Work on both reactive and proactive external communications with the wider communications team, gaining coverage in print, online and broadcast, including the BBC, Evening Standard and a variety of local publications;• Part of the on-call rota, providing a 24-hour press office service where required• Update social media and reply to queries on an as-needed basis Show less In this role at Victim Support, I was in charge of producing content for internal communications, including all staff, senior management and local newsletters. Reporting to the Internal Communications and Events Manager, I also conducted surveys to measure outreach of internal communications materials, undertook general administrative tasks, provided management of and assistance at events, and contributed work and ideas to the wider communications department on an as-needed basis. Following an internal restructure, I was promoted to the post of Communications Officer in August 2015. Show less

  • Communications Officer

    Aug 2015 - Jul 2016

  • Communications Executive

    Mar 2014 - Jul 2015
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  ELEXON

  Oct 2016 - Aug 2017

  Communications Manager

  Working as part of a small Communications team, I report to the Head of Communications and lead on all internal communications. I am responsible for planning, coordinating and implementing all internal communications through a range of channels, such as all-staff meetings, the intranet, a weekly newsletter and monthly floor talks from the chief executive. My achievements include:• Assisting with bi-monthly Introducing ELEXON seminars for people in the electricity industry – writing event materials, promoting the dates externally and running registration desks• Introducing weekly features, focussing on specific individuals or teams’ achievements• Producing a plan to run focus groups, with a view to using these to improve the quality of internal communications• Creating a personal tone of voice for the company’s weekly internal newsletter, ‘The live wire’• Working with the executive team, board and senior colleagues to communicate sensitive messages in an appropriate and sensitive fashion Show less

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  Konica Minolta Business Solutions UK Ltd

  Sept 2017 - Nov 2017

  Employee Experience Specialist
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  SOAS University of London

  Nov 2017 - Jan 2018

  Interim Change Coordinator
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  The Go-Ahead Group plc

  Jan 2018 - Apr 2019

  Colleague Engagement and Internal Communications Manager

  Working as part of an integrated Commercial and Customer team, I was responsible for all internal communications activity at Go-Ahead, including strategy, content creation, planning and implementation. I worked with colleagues at the Group’s devolved operating companies to oversee communications to around 27000 global colleagues, and my duties and achievements included:• Completing an internal communications audit across the Group, identifying successes and areas for improvement, and using findings to develop best practice guidelines for operating companies• Delivering a monthly magazine, News Across the Group, in line with a tight production schedule• Working with digital transformation colleagues to roll-out Office 365, including Yammer and Teams, and providing employee guidelines on how to use these• Producing a Group internal communications strategy for 2018/19• Project managing events, including quarterly town halls and initiative launches• Developing communications plans for projects including GDPR, Brexit and various HR initiatives• Creating BAU internal communications, including all-staff emails, posters and various collateral• Writing speeches for the company’s Chief Executive for internal and external events• Developing an influencer marketing strategy alongside an external agency for an active travel campaign• Preparing public affairs collateral for external audiences• Producing specific communications materials for senior colleagues, such as franchise announcements, various crisis communications and Brexit staff policies• Working flexibly to support the rest of my team across public affairs, external and corporate communications, design and marketing Show less

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  KeolisAmey Docklands

  Apr 2019 - Jul 2019

  Internal Communications Manager

  My role at Keolis Amey Docklands saw me manage communications to over 850 DLR colleagues, from passenger service agents to members of the senior management team. My responsibilities and achievements include:Managing the company’s overarching internal communications strategyProducing all internal communications materials - including the intranet, a digital newsletter, posters and a print newsletterWorking with the executive team to produce a four-weekly Safety and Team Brief for heads of department to deliver to their teamsSuccessfully arranging events to celebrate record-breaking performance, which included arranging catering for 850 colleagues on two sites alongside street-food company Kerb, and organising various collateral to promote this. Undertaking significant training on Adobe Creative Suiteto develop proficiency in using InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop to create a variety of internal materialsLine management of the team’s Communications Assistant Show less

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  Stolt-Nielsen Limited

  Jul 2019 - Oct 2019

  Interim Project Manager, Communications

  At Stolt-Nielsen, an international shipping company, I was hired to assist with the rollout of a company-wide change programme. As part of this, I planned large-scale all staff events in Rotterdam for the executive team, including helping to develop speeches and presentations. I also produced collateral including banners, stickers, intranet articles and videos for these events, and was responsible for general intranet maintenance and development, producing a quarterly newsletter and managing the company’s internal brand. Show less

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  The Ardonagh Group

  Nov 2019 - May 2020

  Internal Communications Manager

  Working as part of the Corporate Affairs team, I acted as a business partner for group functions - including HR, Finance and IT - and was responsible for several areas of internal communications activity at The Ardonagh Group. My role included owning a weekly planning grid to coordinate content and activity across the Group and its operating companies, developing content for all internal channels, introducing new content streams and working on crisis communications materials.I also planned and created an all-new channel for leaders, Leaders Digest, managed internal and external communications around financial announcements, was responsible for LinkedIn and Twitter content and was communications lead on several acquisition projects. Show less

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  SEGRO plc

  Nov 2020 - Jul 2021

  Internal Communications Executive
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  University of Surrey

  Jul 2021 - Nov 2021

  Interim Internal Communications Manager

  I led the University of Surrey’s Internal Communications team during a period of change. With line management responsibility for two colleagues, I oversaw all IC activities to colleagues and students, produced weekly bulletins and newsletters, and conducted an audit of all channels. I then delivered an internal communications strategy, including recommendations for improvements to channels and content, audience personas, and a detailed channels matrix.

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  British Transport Police

  Nov 2021 - Apr 2023

  Senior Channels Manager

  I led all of British Transport Police’s internal communications channels strategy and activity, with line management responsibility for two colleagues. During this time, I managed the launch of Viva Engage, the redevelopment (including a tender process) of the intranet, developed newsletters and led a content plan. I was responsible for measuring the success of channels using Microsoft tools, and used this data to inform how the team would target various audiences. I was seen as a trusted advisor and regularly worked closely with senior leaders, including the Chief Constable, to advise them on how to communicate with frontline and office-based colleagues using video, audio and enterprise social media. I led on the project management and production of ‘Us At Our Best’, a film outlining the Force’s values for colleagues. I travelled around England, Scotland and Wales with a film crew to ensure the right content was captured, then led on editing, capturing extra content and post-production in conjunction with an agency. I also led communications activity surrounding Operation London Bridge for the Force. This included being deputy command for urgent communications, leading content production including filming and editing statements, working alongside the Chief Constable and senior leaders on speeches and videos, and otherwise being a trusted advisor during one of the biggest operations for the Force in recent history. Show less

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  Liberty Global

  Apr 2023 - Oct 2024

  Senior Manager, Channels

  I led Liberty Global’s internal communications channels strategy. During this time, I was responsible for making data-driven improvements to channels. I led an internal communications audit and strategy, developed audience personas, made continuous improvements to existing channels and introduced new content streams. As part of this, I developed a detailed strategy and communications plan for the launch of Viva Engage. I led the development, build and measurement of the company’s all-employee survey using Glint, gaining an 80% completion rate in 2023. In addition, I managed the site build and content on Connect, a SharePoint intranet, and built fortnightly newsletters, all-staff emails and quarterly senior leadership bulletins using Poppulo.Using Power BI, I was responsible for measuring the success of channels and content, and used this data to inform how the team would target various audiences. Show less

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  Turner & Townsend

  Feb 2025 - now

  UK Internal Communications Manager